Four members of Reclaim the Power chained themselves to the disabled man as two days of action against Cuadrilla began today. Protesters also threatened to break into the site.

The blockade sought to prevent traffic moving in and out of the area, according to Ewa Jasiewicz for the protest group No Dash for Gas.

"There was traffic on Saturday, a lorry did enter the site so even though Cuadrilla say they've stopped drilling, we still need to shut them down properly and make sure they don't do any work today. I think there'll be a renewal of the blockade as the day goes on, " she said.

"A blockade has been carried out by activists from Reclaim the Power but it's been organised by disabled people against the cuts and pensioners and disabled activists are taking part in this."

Speaking of plans for later in the day, she said: "I think there may be another site walk, like happened yesterday, which might have some excitement."

Those taking part in the blockade, were circled by 16 protesters with linked arms.

Other protesters chanted and danced around the group and sang: "There are many many more of us than you", while around 40 police stood guard.

Paddy Murphy, 38, a freelance support worker for the disabled community from Dublin, Ireland, was born without legs and with his right arm ending at the elbow, said he would stay outside the site in his wheelchair for, "as long as it takes."

He said: "We don't want anything happening on this site."

"Disabled people against cuts are here to show solidarity with the locals who reject the energy policy, to show solidarity with the permanent camp who have drawn the eyes of the world on Balcombe."

He said he hoped: "To draw attention to the fuel poetry that many disabled people are living in because of isolation."

Four others people lay on the ground padlocked to Mr Murphy's wheelchair.

Adam Farrell, 25, unemployed from Holloway, London, Evie Rhodes, 24, from Leeds who works for an education charity, Terry Hutt 78, from Cambridge, a carpenter and joiner and Steven Burak, 54, from King's Cross, London, who is a full-time activist said they would remain outside the drilling site indefinitely.

Ms Rhodes said: "Already drilling has stopped but we're hoping not to let trucks in and out."

The act is part of a day of civil disobedience planned by anti-fracking protesters.

No Dash for Gas said they had also delivered a 17m wind turbine on MP Francis Maude's constituency office roof and had blockaded Cuadrilla headquarters and the London offices of Bell Potinger, who handle PR for Cuadrilla.

Kylie Phillips, 26, a primary school teacher from Bristol and part of No Dash for Gas said: "Eight work stations have been taken over in Cuadrilla's headquarters and an entire floor has been cleared of Cuadrilla workers."